Combination egg lifting and transferring device



Oct. Y .A DE MEZEY` COMBINATION EGG LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Oct. 31, 1944. A. DE MEzL-:Y' 2,361,461

COMBINATION EGG LIF-PING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Shree?I 2 INVENTOR A) bert De Maze Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT omer.

COMBINATION EGG LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Albert de Mczey, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Application February 15, 1943, Serial No..475,997

Ai Claims.

This invention relates to egg lifting and transferring devices whereby all the eggs in one layer or tray of an egg crate may be simultaneously picked up from the tray for testing and for dipping and may be replaced simultaneously in the tray. In particular the invention is especially adaptable to the type of tray 'known as Keys trays for holding eggs in an egg crate.

Egg lifting devices of this .character are known in the art, however, they have many objectional characteristics which has resulted in their being generally unacceptable to the trade. Known devices are complicated pieces of mechanism requiring a great number of cooperating components which grip the eggs in jaws tending to crush the eggs which have weak shells. The present invention seeks to overcome these and other objectionable characteristics and generally to provide an efficient, durable and comparatively inexpensive device of the character set forth.

One of the principal objects therefor, is to provide an egg lifting and transferring device? adaptable for. processing eggs which is extremely simple in construction, having a minimum of fixed and movable parts which act to increase the rigidity and durability of the lifter, and which provide fast drainage of excess oil from the lifter after dipping and which will hold the eggs with a minimum .contact area between the eggs and the lifter. The device is constructed with few horizontal surfaces, all parts being disposed edgewise in a vertical plane to the end that excess oil will readily drain olf the lifter; in addition I avoid contacting surfaces as much as possible so that each component is spaced from the ad-l jacent components to the end that excess oil is not permitted to lodge in corners, cracks and the like which would be formed had the components not been spaced apart.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an egg lifting' device which will scoop the eggs from the tray; the prongs or fingers being disposed beneath the eggs so that the eggs rest on the prongs as they are lifted as opposed to the gripping type of prongs orI ngers which clamp against the egg shell and tend to crush those eggs which have weak shells.

With the above noted and other objects in view which may appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which:

shafts.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view'of my invention.

Fig. 2 is across sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 is a transverse 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailed View of a modified form of the egg lifting u nit.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of one end of Fig. 4, showing'a further means of attaching.

Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5. 0

Figs. 7 and 8, are still further modified forms of the egg lifting units.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views it will be seen that the invention resides in a rectangulai frame II), which is disposed edgewise, that is, its depth is in a vertical plane. frame is provided with a suitable handle II, disposed lengthwise across the top of the frame and riveted or otherwise secured to the end portions of the frame I0. Bars I2 are secured to the inner lower face of the end portions of the frame I0, in spaced apart relationship to the said end portion of the frame and are securely mounted by rivets or the like having `spacers I3, interposed between the said bars' and the said frame and portions.

Rock shafts I4, have their extremities rotat ably supported in the bars I2. As best seen in Fig. 1, there are six rock shafts, five of Which are operatively connected together for partial and simultaneous rotation. The sixth rock shaft Ma, which lies adjacent one side portion of the frame sectional view on the line ,is fixed as and for a purpose to be hereinafter explained in detail.

The rock shafts I4, carry a plurality of lifting prongs I5, thereon, the said prongs I5, consist of bifurcated, downwardly curved outwardly digressing wire rods which are disposed through pairs of orifices in the rock shafts I4, and are secured thereto by subsequent timing or alternatively they may be spot welded to the rock The extreme prongs I5a, are secured in the same manner to the rock shafts but consists of a single downwardly curved wire rod. The curvature of the prongs are predetermined, to

f correspond to the outline of the lower part of an egg and to correspond to the outlines of the conical projections of the egg tray plus allowance for clearance. The shaft Illa, is also provided with prongs I5b, but which are shorter and straight as best seen in Fig. 2, the prongs I5b, serve only to retain the eggs on the adjacent The prongs I5. The prongs i511, are secured to the shaft Ma, in the same manner as hereinbefore described. The extreme prongs being extended upward to form an eye I6, which is looped over a rivet or the like I'I, through the side portion of the frame I0, for the purpose of preventing rotation of the shaft I4a.

The outside, bifurcated prongs I5, on each rock shaft I 4, are extended as elongated eyes I8, which are secured in interstices in a cooperating link in the form of a strap .I9. A coil spring 20, secured at 2|, to the side portion of the frame and at 22, to the farthest removed joinder of eye I8, and strap I9, normally urges the prongs to thevclosed position, this closed position being determined by the length of the strap I9, in thatthe strap I9,

abutsk the side portion of the frame I0, as indi-r cated at 23, Fig. 2, by the action of the spring 20.

An operating arm 24, fixed to the intermediate rock shaft I4, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the vertical line of the prongs is U- vsupporting frame, rollers secured exteriorly of said 'supporting K frame, rock shafts rotatably mounted Within the confines of the supporting frame, a plurality of egg receiving prongs Xed to said rock shafts, a pair of said prongs on each shaped to provide a suitable handle area whereby the operator may grasp the handle I I, and the arm 24, in his outstretched fingers to draw the varm 24, towards the handle.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my invention it will be seen that therock shafts I4, are cooperatively connected by means of the links I9, and that by meansof the operating arm 24, actuated by the hand of the operator the prongs I5, are caused toopen or close which is to say are caused in their open position to slide under the eggs in the tray and upon being gradually released to take up a position beneath the eggs whereupon the lifter may be raised from the l.

tray with the eggs held by gravity therein.

` When found necessary and yfor economical constructural purposes the rock shafts I4, may be substituted forjmy modiiiedform as shown in Fig. 4, which constitutes the lifting unit 26, as a whole being stamped from a flat piece o-f material thus forming a series of oval shaped openings 21, divided into six or more sections by recesses 28, which permits the partitionsof the egg' crate to enter, lifting unit 26, is slightly curved to follow the contour of the eggs as will be seen at 29, in Fig. 6, llifting unit 26, may also be attached to support `bars I2, or direct to frame I0, by Wing hinges 3U, as sh-own in Figs. 5 and 6.

Rollers 25, are supported on the outside face.

rock shaft extending above the rock shafts to form upstanding eyes, a pair vof coordinating links connected to the upstanding eyes to coordinate the rock shafts for simultaneous movement, an operating lever upstanding from one rock shaft arranged to be actuated by the fingers of the operator while holding the handle of the unit so as to open the prongs and coil springs connectedto the links to no-rmally urge the prongs closed.

2. An egg lifting device comprising a frame, a series of rock shafts mounted in said frame in. spaced parallel relation, a. plurality of egg receiv.- ing prongs depending from said shafts at spaced intervals, the prongs of each shaft being curved longitudinally in the same direction and towards the prongs of the next adjacent shaft, and means for rocking said shafts.

3. An egg lifting device comprising a frame, a series of rock shafts mounted in said frame in spaced parallel relation, a plurality of prongs depending from said shafts at spaced intervals, the prongs of each shaft being curved longitudinally in the same direction and towards the prongs of f; the next adjacent shaft, and a reciprocating lever extending across said shafts and connected therewith for simultaneously rocking said shafts.

4. An egg lifting device comprising a frame, a series of rock shafts mounted in said frame in spaced parallel relation, a, plurality of prongs depending from said shafts at spaced intervals, the prongs of each shaft being curved longitudinally in the same direction and towards the prongs of the next adjacent shaft, eyes extending up from said shafts, and a reciprocating lever connected to said eyes adapted to simultaneously rock said shafts upon reciprocation.

ALBERT DE MEZEY. 

